Rays' Lowe hit two home runs./CHUCK MULLER
Monday, 4 a.m.
After this weekend, you can expect the Boston Red Sox to drive the Tampa Bay Rays to the airport.
You can expect them to carry their luggage for them. You can expect them to check in at the gate for them. You can expect them to escort them onto the plane.
After this weekend, man are the Red Sox glad to see the Tampa Bay Rays depart.
After all, the Rays decisively won the series, taking their third of four games in a 6-1 victory on Sunday. For the series, the Rays outscored Boston 21-9 and outhit them 43-24. The Rays hit four home runs on Sunday -- two of them by Brandon Lowe -- that measure a combined 1,735 feet. All four of the homers were 400-foot blasts.
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Snell won for the first time in more than a month./TIM WIRT
The onslaught allowed Blake Snell to win for the first time since May 6, and the second since April 8. Snell is 4-5 on the season. Snell allowed four base-runners on in the first two innings and only two more in his last four innings.
“It was really strong," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "He made himself work a little bit, but Blake's a really talented pitcher. We like to nitpick what he does or what he doesn’t do at times, but the bottom line is he’s got really good stuff. He’s equipped to go out there and give us a chance to win every time he goes out there.
"It was really encouraging. He continues to make big pitches with guys in scoring position. Blake is never out of the at-bat. He has so many weapons he can throw in the zone."
Said Snell: “It was pretty good. A lot of deep counts. I'm frustrated with that. The walk in the first was frustrating. It was a tiring game for me. There were a lot of stressful pitches. I’m happy with the outcome, happy we got the win, but there is a lot of work to do."
Snell said the turnaround in the first was because "I got mad at myself and started pitching."
Lowe hadn't hit a home run since May 25, and Diaz hadn't hit once since May 11, but both went deep to separate the game.
"Where he hit those two balls ... not many guys hit there," Cash said of Lowe. "Both no doubters and both huge at the time for us.”
Well, Lowe had a bit of doubt over his first one, a 455-foot shot.
"I knew I got it good, but Jackie (Bradley Jr.) started running around out there," Lowe said. "I thought ‘this might not get out.’ I was sprinting it around the bases. I hit a ball 420 before and it turned out to be an out. Thankfully, it carried out."
The Rays return home to Tropicana Field to begin a four-game series against Oakland. Charlie Morton will pitch tonight at 7:10 p.m. against an undetermined starter for the A's.
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